Meta

Amnesty Isn’t the GOP Gift to Unlock the Hispanic Vote

With President Obama corralling a stunning 71% of the Hispanic vote in his successful 2012 re-election bid, “establishment Republicans” are running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to figure out how to get a piece of America’s fastest growing demographic. (I’ve opined about how the GOP has written off the black vote as unattainable. I guess when the Hispanic vote approaches 90% for Democrats, Republicans will reconsider ignoring blacks like the heels of their shoes.)

House Speaker John Boehner, Karl Rove, Reince Priebus, and shockingly even Sean Hannity are calling for AMNESTY or some variation thereof under the guise of “immigration reform.” This new amnesty gang concluded Romney lost the Hispanic vote because of his “self-deportation” blunder.

Predicting another presidential loss in 2016 unless the party reverses its wicked ways, this GOP pro amnesty gang believes granting citizenship to the estimated 11 to 20 million illegal aliens in this country will translate into Hispanic votes. Wrong! Amnesty isn’t the answer to winning the Hispanic vote or why Romney didn’t wow Hispanics.

Romney was inelegant in the way he talked about many topics but that doesn’t mean he was wrong, particularly about stopping illegal immigration. He should have explained that self-deportation meant. If the government enforced the laws, by securing our borders and cracking down on businesses who hire illegal aliens, these criminals who broke the law to come to America would voluntarily go back home.

Before the avalanche of illegal immigrants started pouring across or borders in the 1990s, American citizens worked jobs currently filled by illegal workers. Two exit polls, one conducted by CBS and another by Brietbart News/Judicial Watch both found more than 60% of Americans supported Arizona’s immigration laws. With unemployment at a record high for the past four years, illegal aliens in the workforce not only take jobs from the country’s 23 million unemployed Americans but is particularly harmful to Hispanic and black citizens who suffer higher unemployment rates. This is what Romney should have explained.

Americans want enforcement of immigration laws because they know illegal immigrants harm Americans by depressing wages, stealing jobs an increasing taxpayer costs for welfare, education, and social security programs. According to two studies conducted by the Heritage Foundation , the cost of amnesty would run $1trillion over 30 years, which works out to be about $90 billion a year. This is 70 times the minimum $13.5 billion yearly cost of proposed enforcement bills, as scored by the Congressional Budget Office.

Counter to the myth the mainstream media and some Republicans are pushing, polls found Hispanics supported Romney’s position on mandatory E-verify. According to an October Pulse Opinion poll 66% of Hispanics supported mandatory E-Verify to prevent companies from hiring illegal immigrants. Another NBC Latino/IBOPE Zogby poll conducted in October 2012 found only 5% of Hispanics felt immigration was a top concern to them.

According to NumbersUSA, Romney’s position on enforcement of immigration laws helped him get more Hispanic votes than pro-amnesty John McCain did in 2008 in 16 of the 20 states with the highest Hispanic population. If the current GOP posturing on amnesty is true, that it will increase the GOP share of the Hispanic vote in the future elections, why does history tell another tale? In 1986 Ronald Reagan signed the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill, granting amnesty to illegal aliens living in America and pledged to secure the borders. Enforcement never happened and two years later in 1988 “George H. W. Bush lost the Latino vote by 39 points.”

McCain’s pro amnesty stance didn’t help him win overwhelming support from Hispanics in 2008. Compared to Obama’s 67%, McCain only got 31% of the Hispanic vote.

Obama won 71% of the Hispanic vote in 2012 compared to Romney’s 29% not because of his “amnesty” giveaway, but because he took his message of “growing the entitlement state and Americans dependency upon government” to Hispanics. Mitt was right, Hispanics, blacks and women voted for the gifts Obama promised them. Maybe Mitt should have bothered offering these groups his gifts. I think the GOP should be taking a message of enforcement to all Americans, along with NumbersUSA five great solutions, which includes ending birthright citizenship.

The irony of all this pro-amnesty talk from “elites inside the GOP” is none of them mentions the first Hispanic elected US Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, is a pro-enforcement guy. Cruz campaigned on promising “to strengthen border security and help ensure that America remains a nation of laws” not lawlessness, which is what allowing illegal immigration is.

As a friend noted, minorities are choosing Democrats because Republicans are abandoning them. The same friend, a Los Angeles Police Department Detective in South Los Angeles, said “during this election cycle, there was NO one from the national or state GOP campaigning in our area.” LA we have a problem!

Responding to campaign advisor Lionel Sosa in 1984, who said it would be hard to win the Hispanic vote, Reagan replied: “Hispanics are already Republican. They just don’t know it.” Reagan took “his gifts,” the message of conservatism to Hispanics and won 40% of their vote. Amnesty isn’t the key to the GOP unlocking the Hispanic vote, it’s getting the messenger to take its blinders off.

49 Responses to “Amnesty Isn’t the GOP Gift to Unlock the Hispanic Vote”

I have noticed the public does not know much about immigration. Please do not disseminate inaccurate information about the system.

1) Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is not Amnesty. The media has made that mistake. It does not confer lawful permanent residency or citizenship for the youth who benefit from the program. There is no path for acquisition of either status. All it does is guarantee no deportation for 2 years and provide employment authorization for those two years. ICE was not going to deport these kids under any administration because of financial and manpower concerns anyway. Additionally, this program did not only affect Hispanics, but South Koreans and other ethnicities who met the criteria. Let’s not reduce the debate to ethnic hysteria.

2) Immigration reform is not possible without amnesty. Even though it is in the best interests of many to deport all who are here illegally it is not pragmatic. It would cost billions of dollars and manpower that we do not have and those people will cross right back. Instead, we must secure our borders, legalize those who are already here (not criminals) and that way we are not in the same position in 10 years.

I respect crystal right to voice her opinions but girlfriend you and other far right black republicans do yourself as well as the republican party no justice. You need to seriously go back and read up on true black republicans and what the party and they stood for. this current Republican party has no tolerance for you your race, gender etc. furthermore it has no clue as to what all majority of Americans want. The way you defend and do the get along shuffle for the GOP in its current state is very shameful. You need as I stated a history lesson of blacks who were in the GOP way before the GOP stopped welcoming true equality and minoritys. Martin Luther King would turn over in his grave he were alive today and saw how todays blacks as well as those in the GOP are. STOP BEING THE GOP HOUSE N_____PLEASE!! IF you are doing it for the MONEY well say so.

Amnesty is a bad public policy doctrine on immigration because it is an insult and disrespectful towards legally registered immigrants. The non-registered immigration population violated immigration law. However, mass deportation is impractical. The comprehensive reform prescribed to modernize the present immigration system is actually necessary to ensure due process and equality of law. The 1986 immigration law was a mistake because there was no enforcement method. The principle reason that the Hispanic vote is preponderantly Democratic is because the Hispanic community trusts the Democratic Party on education, health care, economy/jobs, civil rights, immigration, plus the role of government.

Bush in 2001 signed the Dream Act and received 44% of the Hispanic vote in 2004 election. I also believe he campaigned the Hispanics very well. He is from Texas which has a good amount of Hispanics so he can relate to them a bit

@Truevoice
What racism? Don’t tell me you actually believe all the liberal propaganda!

Let me tell you something, before Obama became president the Republican Party was rarely accused of racism then a black man becomes president and liberals go all crazy accusing anyone who does not agree with one of Obama’s positions as being a racist. I’m not racist and before Obama became president was never called a racist then I clearly articulated to a liberal why I don’t agree with some of Obama’s positions and all the liberal did was scream back calling me racist.

Why if Republicans are so racist as you and liberals claim why did Herman Cain a BLACK MAN receive so much support from white Republicans? Huh? Liberals are so nuts that some of them think Herman Cain was paid to go on stage and Republicans would cheer loud for him so people would not think the party was racist. Hahaha

You buy into all the Democrats BS to easily. Obama could not run on his record so Democrats started all these demographic wars saying Republicans hate you Republicans hate this about you blah blah blah….What a bunch of BS! How sad they had to use attacks constantly to win.

truevoice,
When I say multi-culturalism disintegrates a country, I have French Canada and English Canada in mind. I have the Balkans and Balkanization in mind.

Multiculturalism does not differ much from TRIBALISM. Under multi-culturalism or tribalism the individual submits and conforms to the group. Individualism is discouraged and socialism within the group is encouraged. The tribal groups, by their very nature, are primed for socialist policies and each group wants a piece of the nation’s pie and the politicians promise to deliver.

Political organizers that seek power prefer class warfare though; the rich versus the poor, and offer their services armed with socialist policies to “level the playing field”.

I’m re-watching your Q & A session with Mr. Lamb… You’re my new heroine! It takes guts to say what you’ve got to say, and I love how you don’t hold yourself back, but state your views bluntly and honestly. Keep fighting the good fight!

The Hispanic people, as well as other minorities and women, didn’t vote for Obama because of “Gifts “. They voted for him because Romney ( and most of the Republicans ) world view does not include them . I saw Crystal’s interview on Q & A and was impressed with her honesty in many areas . However , she still is an echo box of the same old , tired talking points . She said that Obama exploited minorities for political gain with things such as Lily Ledbetter , Dream act , etc. Did it not occur to her that these are things that help people. These are not ” gifts “. They are the gift of opportunity. That it what people want and expect from their Gov’t.

@ Noel Here in California and Hawaii the world isn’t coming to an end because white people aren’t a majority. People actually have more respect for each other; unlike the way Boston use to be-if u were not white u were treated with disdain. All those Great liberals. Lol

Like you said ” republicans need to get gonads” in terms of the fiscal cliff. Others need and have been speaking out on racism in the party, such as voter suppression in Florida. I don’t believe these republicans are lying. 88% of the people who voted for Romney were white. I voted for a third party. Interesting u said that republican blogs were not giving u the respect u deserve and that’s y u started this site. I found that to be true with both parties. It’s good that you’re independent, but I would just say u would sound more authentic if u didn’t sound so much like Ann Coulter. Just saying.

I’m disappointed that you use “gifts” as if Romney was telling the truth. As the Latino republican lady said on CNN, “She gets it; Romney was on the phone with the people who gave him so much money.” And we know they were expecting BIG GIFTS. The truth is the Koch brothers type have taken over the conservative movement
If u look at traditional conservatives like Regan and Dole plus those before them you won’t hear the negative view of poor people that os now expressed by Newt, Ryan, and others. The republican party has been hijacked by extreme tea party people who sound nothing like Regan or any traditional conservative.

How does your rationale explain the overwhelming Asian vote President Obama got. What “gifts” did he give them, when they are one of the best educated and highest earning groups in the U.S.? You can not use the racial dog whistles against some minorities and think that the others aren’t going to hear it.

Ironically, as a Liberal, I agree with Noel. Republicans/Conservatives need to stop dividing us by race, class and origin, and treat EVERY group as INDIVIDUALS aspiring for the American dream of freedom and liberty especially those who are descendents of slaves and immigrants…which happen to be all of us…

What the GOP needs is to tap into the greatness of this contry (a most sucsesfull experimment mankind has ever had based on individual “FREEDOM”) and also promulgate King’s approach that America will only remain great if people are judjed by the content of their character not the color of their skin. To illustrate: When I look at you (I saw your recent appearance on C-Span Q@A with Brian Lamb) I see a beautifull/articulate young lady with terrific values who is putting herself out there to save America. When I look at Col. West , I see an American warrior (intelligent/brave and articulate) who is doing the same. When I see Marco Rubio I see an intelligent/articulate politician with the right values to really help this contry. When I look at Paul Ruan I see a brave/intelligent articulate politician who could go a long way in solving the contries problems if given a chance.
GIMMICS and PANDERING only work in the hands of a slick , articulate idealougues who appeals to lesser human values in their quest to accumulate power and build their version of UTOPIA.

Just heard your interview on C-span radio and was surprised and perplexed by your comments. Frankly, I had never heard of you or your blog before.

Unfortunately, after a half hour of listening, I turned the program off. Your remarks on the role of the so-called liberal press in the last campaign and other off the cuff remarks backed up by nothing, I found naive and juvenile and a perfect example of how the internet has empowered all of us to talk about deep issues in very superficial way. Self-described as “fearless” —? I think “Clueless” might be closer to the mark. Keep talking about issues that matter to you but try to go deeper than your gut feelings.

By the way Crystal, I just saw you on PBS. You made good points. I would just say anger and outrage, Ann Coulter’s style, isn’t going to change people; only the Grace of God will change us. Politics have never saved anyone.

As for racism, I think it’s a disgrace that evangelicals are still following Ralph Reed who profited on Jack Abramoff’s forced abortion sweatshops in American Saipan. Reed’s republican opponent brought this out and defeated him for Louisiana LT Governorship. Reed had no problem ripping off native Americans too according to John McCain. The point is that so many evangelicals have no problem with Reed using Asian women and native Americans. How can any minority group vote republican. Oh, it’s nice how the religious right was ook with apartheid.

Wow a woman that I can listen too that is completely in lock step with my views… Crystal Wright I caught the last five minutes of a C-span episode and was excited to see a woman whom believe and can say aloud that a woman can’t be everything at once. Feminist would have you believe differently for their own reasons that have nothing to do with feminism and more to do with their upbringing. I am a 45 yo man whom has served eight years in the military Middle East included the 1st time around. I still serve my community as A Chicago firefighter for the last 15 years. I have never felt strongly enough to respond to any show host or other wise in my life. After hearing you speak what so many people especially men feel without feeling like your piling onto women more roadblocks in their lives, was heartening. You told America what most men do believe and that we all (mostly) do support women. Their is a BIG silent block of women out their that have supported women’s rights and gotten involved and now are single and a bit lonely that do regret their choices but believe in the overall fight for rights. They are the women of my age group and I do feel bad for them but they fell for a line of thinking that was flawed from the start. Men and women are different in many ways, I can’t believe more women aren’t embracing those differences. Trust me when I say, I’m jealous of something’s a women will get to be a part of that a man will never experience. I don’t want to blame all women for those differences, but celebrate them as differences. I’m a democratic leaning independent as a voter. I feel the LBGT push that has been unbelievably effective and continues to be the underlying structure beneath the democrats, is ripe for democratic politicians to start taking advantage of….. This is the point in our history where the LBGT community is about to be used by Democrats for people’s personal and some institutional gains in the political structure. I hope this community opens their eyes to what’s about to happen and asks them selves long ago when they took up this fight are they still fighting for those same values and bench marks or have others influenced them to continue fighting for other things? The LBGT community has achieved all their goals set long ago if they continue to be per versed by the Democratic Party all they fought for will be forgotten and some things lost in this an entirely new fight one that wasn’t even really one they would have believed in fighting for at a time long ago. It is time for this community that is recognized like any other to stand down their organization before it is ruined forever…… A reputation stays with you always good or bad. Thank-you Crystal Wright, for giving me the courage and opportunity to say out loud my true feelings……

In the 1990’s, as the Mexicans were madly rushing across the border,
our manufactoring was rushing to Mexico to take advantage of Mexico’s slave labor. It’s still doing so. But if our manufactoring was fleeing to Mexico, why were their worker fleeing against the tide. The reason was that our companies were not making it possible for Mexicans to stay in their country with the impossibly low wages they were paying. It became more profitable for Mexicans to take illegal minimum wages here than to settle for almost no wages in the maquiladores in Mexico. In the border factories, Millions flooded there to find no jobs, the cartels, and very low wages when there was work. This was caused by Clinton and the passage of Nafta. Can you see why neither Dems nor Repubs want to take this on? This gives a totally different twist to protecting the borders and the laws of the border states

I like Crystal. I’m a black republican but don’t agree with her on this. I live in California and Latinos do all the hard work here. Jews and Asians voted for Obama 69 and 73 % so were they expecting gifts too ? Fox news will never bring those numbers up.

Do you think Romney caved in the 2nd and 3rd debates because he came to see the approaching fiscal cliff, before it became ok to talk about it, because he didn’t want to assume this monstrosity from Obama? Do you think someone told the Republican party leaders that they had better let Obama crash and burn with this one?

If they did, that was a wise political strategy for the Republicans, but is a tragic outcome for us. They let Obama sell us out to the Chinese.

Do you think Obama lied to the Mexicans about what he was going to give them, while he had ICE picking up Mexican parents, who were here undocumented and leaving their under aged children uncared for.
The “News media” certainly did nothing with these stories. The mayors of San Antonio and Los Angeles lied to their people because they were skirtailing off these lies to push their own political careers.
What do you think?

Crystal has nailed it again. If fact it may be the some of people who were given amnesty by Reagan that voted obama back into office. Such a sad state of affairs for our country – Obama reelected. He will destroy our country not only by his reckless spending and childish negotiation tactics but most of all his horrible leadership. He behaves like a child repeatedly and the crazy part is the country likes it? Why? Obama attacks success in this country like it is our enemy! Is this how you teach your children – Maleah and Sasha? To attack success? We want succes for our children. Success at home leads to success in the classroom which leads to success in business and success for our country. Success is important to each of us every day. Obama deamonizing success will lead the country to hate successfull people and this will divide and destroy our country.

“Cruz campaigned on promising ‘to strengthen border security and help ensure that America remains a nation of laws’ not lawlessness, which is what allowing illegal immigration is.”

I’d like to know why more Republicans don’t try to educate anyone who’ll listen about our current immigration laws. How can we discuss what should be changed if we don’t know what is? Sure, we can Google it, but the “dialogue” on TV, which is controlled by libs, is all fuzzy generalities, like “fairness” – Republicans should make them talk about the specifics of the details of our current laws. Maybe then we could draw them into some kind of intelligent debate? Maybe.

I couldn’t find this quote on the net, probably because it contains the dreaded “N” word so my reconstruction of it may not be perfect. When asked by a political aid about the effect his Great Society program would have on elections, Lyndon Johnson was reported to have said, “when I get through with these niggers they’ll be voting democrat for 200 years.” Democrat strategy has always been to divide the electorate into groups then offer the appropriate gifts without regard to the effect it has on the nation or the target group.

Black Americans are the proof. In 1950 the crime rate for blacks in Harlem was lower than that of whites. As you obviously know, dependency is toxic to culture. Black culture has been reduced to thuggery and victimhood. It is disgraceful that men like Allen West and women like you are not only rare exceptions, but outcasts among African Americans.

Romney was right, it’s about the gifts. When he constantly talked about creating jobs I came to the shocking realization that Barrack Obama’s constituency was not interested in jobs. To paraphrase an old proverb about unmarried sex, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free.

I listened to you on Cspan tonight. It was enjoyable and frustrating at the same moment. The ugly truth is that we have lost and there is no going back. Will the next presidential candidate on our side run on the promise to repeal Obamacare? Fat chance. The cancer of dependency has metastasized from sea to shining sea and no amount of exercise or health food will change that. We have a clear choice, do what the Founders did or become slaves to the parasites and their masters.

It took the Eastern Europeans 50 years to turn on their communist oppressors. I can’t wait that long. Maybe you will live to see the fight and, if so, you have my sincerest best wishes. I can tell you first hand that war really is hell, but slavery is surely something worse.

I have a blog also, but you won’t like me or my opinions one bit. No matter, I like and admire you. I guess that’s just the way it is.

Hi Crystal
I just watched your q&a on cspan, enjoyed it and am visiting your bog for the first time. As a left leaning republican on social issues and fiscal conservative I like a lot of what you say. I know, sounds libertarian. Not really.
I wonder if you have seen the recent movie, Lincoln. It has restored both my faith in the American political process and the seriousness of our political process. I will be reading your blot with interest.
I am honored to have a father and former father in law who were Tuskegee Airmen. Carrying forward their legacy is important. So to is it important for our elected leaders to fight the short term view and see the long term consequences of their actions. The legacy of their actions affect the country and the world.

I agree completely with Noel and I voted for Obama. As a libertarian who leans progressive I would have preferred Ron Paul. The eight years of fiscal and leadership incompetence under Bush 2 means the Republican Party must face more time in political purgatory. Their tradeoff of conservatism in favor of corporatism didn’t help.

Powerful political forces have consistently worked since 1965 to divide the ethnic demographics of the USA, not to benefit Americans, but to make it easier to manipulate the citizenry and gain political power. American labor has consistently been harmed by the never ending availability of cheap labor that benefits global capitalists but costs most Americans.

Divide and conquer is the operating model of these opportunist sleaze bags.

Follow the money. Who benifits from a Hispanic worker. Now if the CEO, board member or plant manager was required to wear a sign…”I was stupid for hireing an ilegal”…the memos would fly, the jobs dry up and the problem solved cheap.

Ventured to your site after seeing you on cspan… You are 100% correct on your statement about illegal immigrants and wages… I saw it first hand this year in my household…. My husband lost his construction job in which the vast majority of workers were all illegal immigrants… And my husband is an american citizen!! Wish there were more people in DC in power like you!!!

When Bush was in office, why were the businesses that you say can save this country closing businesses, sending jobs overseas, laying people off, giving raises and bonuses to CEOs. What makes you think that they would do anything different.

I am not surprised that you are the way that you are. You look white. You tilt your head to the side to keep your white-like hair out of your face. What is it that you believe that Mick Romney could have done to help fix all of the problems you have articulated about Blacks in America.

Hey Crystal…I live close to the TX/MX border, in a community that’s over 40% Hispanic. I grew up bilingual, and spent a lot of time in MX before it became too dangerous to travel there. Just putting the picture in the frame. Immigration never has been the most important issue to Hispanics. They want jobs, crime-free neighborhoods, and affordable healthcare like the rest of us. But immigration is the issue that lets Hispanics know whether you want them as neighbor or not. In 2012, OFA did a better job of making them feel wanted, even if it was with promises of gifts. According to the Pew Hispanic Center exit poll, 60% of Hispanics identified the economy as the most important issue, followed by health care, the budget deficit, and foreign policy. Looking at demograpghics, Hispanics voted largely like the rest of the country. Female Hispanics preferred Obama more than males, and the young Hispanics went for Obama more than the 30+ Hispanics did. Curiously, in households that make >$50k per year, Romney took 39% of those voters, approaching the 40% carried by GWBush. Bush carried a large number of Hispanics because he went into their communities and hand-delivered the message. Romney couldn’t overcome “self-deportation” because the GOP Establishment and advisors running his campaign wrote off Hispanics the same way they did whole states.

Hispanics are a natural constituancy for a Conservative candidate. Most are proud, hard-working, family-oriented Catholics. It’s the GOP’s identity crisis that’s to blame if their message isn’t getting to the Hispanic voter. Any immigration reform that includes 100% amnesty is purely political pandering though. True reform needs to strengthen immigration requirements, not merely streamline the system. We’re always going to face faux indignation and cries of racism by white liberals, even though Obama has actually deported more illegal immigrants every year since 2009 than GWB did in his his last year in office. Go figure. Progressives are always quick to play the race card, yet in 2013, 6 of the 10 racial/ethnic minority Senators and Governors will be Republicans, including 4 of 5 Hispanics & both South Asians. Hispanic immigrants don’t expect us to see their arrival as a celebration of diversity the way white Progs do. They just want a shot at what remains of the American Dream. As an employer, I’d always rather have a hard-working immigrant who appreciates American values, than a US born and indoctrinated leftist who doesn’t. But the idea that a candidate must cater to certain groups to win elections only perpetuates The Divided States of America. I thought we were all Americans? The Conservative message is fine. Our delivery stinks.

CBC,
When you look at Romney, do you see someone that you think you can trust? Does the fact that he changed his position so many times through the course of the campaign make you wonder if you would believe him if he decided to take us to war or something, had he in fact won the election? Republicans crucified Kerrey for being a flipflopper, then eight years later, nominated a flipflopper. It’s good that the Republicans are trying to fix their problem. Perhaps they need to do a better job at diagnosing their problem, instead of trying to single out a group of people and trying to find a way to trick them into believing that voting against their own interest is best for the country. Nobody on this planet believed a word coming out of Romney’s mouth. The only people that voted for him, voted against Obama.

Multi-culturalism disintegrates a country and this favors the Democrats; it favors politicians who’s aim is to DIVIDE and CONQUER; it favors those who seek power for power’s sake.

The country is far gone to resurrect the unifying idea the country was founded upon; the idea of INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS. That would make it unnecessary to be running after the Hispanic, Black, Asian vote, etc.